The average U.S. student watches 1,500 hours of TV annually while spending only 1,100 hours in school. If we continue to increase TV viewing while decreasing time in school, we end up with an equation that threatens the underpinnings of our democracy.

The results of my Budget Survey are in.

One of my favorite TV game shows was the original Family Feud with Richard Dawson. His big line was, “Survey Says!” when the survey answer was shared with the audience. I am pleased that my Budget Survey drew more than 700 participants. Thank you to those who engaged. It was long…but then our deficit is large, so the survey needed to at least attempt to grasp the entire budget.

Every Saturday SJI creates a space for discussion about topics that haven’t been brought up elsewhere. What’s on your mind?

With celebratory talk about the 40th anniversary of Woodstock reverberating throughout the land, no one seems to be bringing up the darker side of that era, especially since August will also mark the 40th anniversary of the Tate-LaBianca murders. Since the Conspiracy Convention 2009 just happens to hit the Santa Clara Marriott this weekend, I think I must probe a few seemingly connected spheres of influence.

“This is the civil rights movement of our times.” “We are bleeding to death.” “This is a public safety issue.” These comments were spoken by members of Supervisor Dave Cortese’s contingent that rode up to Sacramento yesterday to make a bold statement about the lack of funding for public education.

When I ran for city council I was asked many times, “What are you going to do about the schools?” Unlike Chicago or New York, where the care of the schools falls under city government, San Jose has multiple school districts that have separate elected officials that are responsible for the care of the schools, making the City of San Jose and the school districts completely separate.

San Jose Inside’s weekly open forum is a place where visitors are invited to suggest topics for discussion. What’s on your mind?

When news broke of a 27-year-old Vietnamese man being shot and killed at his home by a San Jose police officer, the pain of the tragedy in the local community was amplified by a gut-wrenching and unexpected feeling—familiarity.

While questions are still being asked after the May 10 shooting of Daniel Pham, the basic fact pattern that has been disclosed by the San Jose Police Department is sadly reminiscent of a 2003 incident involving a young Vietnamese mother, Cau Bich Tran, who was shot by San Jose police in her home.

The California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8 by a 6-1 vote, taking away the rights of gay people to marry in California. But interestingly, the court left a few loopholes.

A guest analysis by San Jose’s OutNow magazine.

Hopefully, we all took a moment yesterday to honor those who have fallen while serving under our nation’s flag. However, I wonder how many of our public school students can actually tell us what the meaning and significance of Memorial Day is? US History is too often a dreaded subject in the nation’s schools.

Memorial Day is a day when we commemorate those who died serving in our military. For the past 15 years, the City of San Jose has recognized our police officers at an annual Police Memorial Ceremony. This started in 1995 under Mayor Susan Hammer. The event has grown from a small event to one that draws many.

In San Jose Inside’s weekly open forum, the site’s users set the agenda, and opinions on any issue of local interest are welcome.

By Stett Holbrook
Walking down South First Street in San Jose recently, I was thoroughly unsurprised to see that Asqew Grill called it quits last month. The 200 S. First St. location is something of a doomed corner. Zyng Noodles also occupied that space and failed as well. I don’t know the details of why Asqew left, but I wonder if part of the reason was that the chain restaurant simply didn’t resonate with downtown diners.

This is my last post for San Jose Inside. I’m looking to start my own site in a couple of months (please stay tuned). A quick note of thanks to Jack Van Zandt and to Eric Johnson. I hope that you enjoy my final post.

When I was a kid growing up in San Jose, the neighborhood park was constantly tended to. Every Summer, there was a recreational leader who organized activities and coached the park’s baseball team. Fast forward to today, where you’ll find the park restrooms closed on weekdays, and you’re lucky if the City sends someone to mow the weeds once a month. In his letter to shareholders, Google co-founder Sergey Brin wrote, “I am optimistic about the future, because I believe that scarcity breeds clarity.” I hope that the scarcity that we all now face will finally bring clarity to San Jose.

On Tuesday we went to the polls
To backfill a big budget hole
But a long, proud tradition
Of voter suspicion
Has left our fair state on the dole
              Traci Hukill

“So let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions. Let’s reduce unwanted pregnancies…” stated President Obama at the Notre Dame University commencement on Saturday, May 16. Since I wholeheartedly agree with the espoused goal, I felt compelled to write on the importance of a high-quality sex education program in our schools as a means to assist us in reaching the objective. It is my hope that we can all find common ground on this issue.